


Metamorphosis

by MysticalWastelandMentality



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25960552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticalWastelandMentality/pseuds/MysticalWastelandMentality
Summary: You and your siblings had returned home to 2019 after some time in the 60s. Only to be confronted with a reality that seemed like a nightmare. Ben was back in your lives, but it wasn't your Ben. A mirror of the boy you once knew — a different Ben, whose mission was to kill you and your siblings.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves/Reader
Kudos: 23





	Metamorphosis

"I heard a rumour that you punched yourself in the face." Allison sipped on her drink smugly as Diego yelled out in agony. You could have sworn that you heard his nose crack. You tried to hide your smile behind the big purple umbrella of your drink, but it only grew when you heard Vanya giggle beside you. You couldn't remember the last time you heard her laugh. You couldn't remember the last time Vanya had truly enjoyed herself like she seemed to be doing right now. You were almost glad that she couldn't remember the past years. After all, they hadn't been kind to her.  
You could feel how the dinner was escalating quickly, and soon it would get out of control, as it always seemed to do whenever your siblings started to bicker. Allison slurped her drink so loudly, most likely to piss Diego off; you almost missed your fathers' question directed towards you.  
"And what impressive abilities do you have?" His cold eyes seemed to pierce your soul, and just like that, you felt like you were a child again, about to get scold.  
"Shadow manipulation," you mumbled, the lump in your throat growing by the second.  
"Speak up, child! I can't hear you." You could see the muscles by his eye twitch, just like it had done a thousand times before.  
"I manipulate shadows!" You almost shouted as you looked up at your father. You had started shaking again, just as you had done in the elevator. You had begun picking on your cuticles out of old habit when you felt a warm hand stop you. You glanced down at Allison's comforting hand as her thumb stroked your knuckles.  
"How?" For the first time, your father looked intrigued.  
"Well, I..." You had barely gotten another word out when Five jumped in.  
"She can jump between shadows. Not unlike my space jumps, but slower."  
You looked over at your brother, wondering why he only told your father about that small part of your powers. However, you trusted Fives judgement and, frankly, didn't want to talk to your father anymore.  
"Party tricks," cried your father disappointed and wrote something down in his journal. Allison tightened her hold around your hand as if to tell you that he was wrong. It was just strange to hear the younger version of your father insult you as he had done so many times before. After all, you were always one of his biggest disappointment as he so kindly loved to tell you—his precious little number 8. It wasn't like Vanya, whos will to defy was greater than his will to discipline, or Klaus, who took any drug to avoid using his abilities. You had honestly tried to control and evolve your powers to appease your father, but nothing had worked.  
"And you?" asked Reginald, sounding as if he already had had enough of this spectacle.  
"Uh, maybe we don't take Vanya for a test run." Luther smiled reassuringly but stiffly. As if just the thought of Vanya's powers made his nervus and to be fair, you agreed with him. After all, Vanya was the one who had the least experience with her abilities and with the memory loss, who knew what could happen.  
"Oh, yeah, that's probably not a good idea," said Klaus and sank in his seat.  
"Yeah"  
"It's fine. I can handle it." Vanya looked around at her siblings, not understanding their apprehension.  
"Handle it? Last time you handled it, you definitely blew up the moon." As Allison said that you felt a shiver run down your spine for Vanya had already picked up a fork.  
"No, no, Vanya! Bad idea!" You almost felt compelled to snatch the fork out of your sister's hand before she blew up the table or the house. All your siblings shouted in protest or starting to take cover as Vanya hit her glass with the fork. A high-pitched tone rang in your ears, to loudly to be ordinary, and the fruit ornament in the middle of the table exploded. To say you were surprised would have been an understatement. You would never have thought that Vanya would have had such control of her powers already, even if that "control" was questionable since you had melon all over you.  
You could hear Klaus complain about his now ruined favourite shirt as Vanya let out the most mischievous little 'oops' you had ever heard.  
As soon as Diego slammed his hands on the table and stood up, you knew you were all doomed. Your brother may have a heart of gold, but he never made rational decisions when he was angry. You closed your eyes, not wanting to see what was just about to go down. The thought of slipping into the shadows felt very appealing to you than ever before.

As you and your siblings manifested into the entry hall of your home, you fell to your knees immediately. You throat closed up as your stomach felt like it had done a backflip but landed wrong. You clutched with all your might the round table in front of you, desperately trying not to vomit.  
"Wh... What day is it?" said Luther and closed his eyes as he too tried not to vomit.  
"April 2, 2019," said Five, flicking the newspaper, "the day after the apocalypse."  
"Wait, so we stopped it?"  
"My God, it's over?" said Vanya and looked over at Allison who gave her a big smile.  
"Did we actually succeed at something?" asked Klaus as he helped you up, "That's incredible!"  
You laughed as you leaned on your brother since your knees were still shaking, your arm linked with his. Your laughter only grew as he declared he needed drinks.  
"Five! Will you please make your margaritas? I've been dying to try them!" You looked over at your (older?) bother as he walked into the living room with his hands in his pockets. His shoulders slumped and relaxed as he looked around the room. You and Klaus ran past his on your way to the bar. You had just found the shaker when you heard Diego say;  
"Why is there a painting of Ben over the mantelpiece?"  
"What?" Your blood ran cold, the shadows licking at your neck as fear swept through your body. Everyone ran over to look at the painting of your dead brother, but it wasn't a young Ben as you thought it would have been. Instead, it was an older Ben, a more mature version but it still didn't truly feel like your Ben. The Ben in the painting was cold and distant, in a way your brother had never been. His school uniform was also entirely different from your old blue one.  
"I knew you'd show up eventually."  
You swore under your breath. Why are you alive?  
"Dad." You could hear that Diego was just as surprised as you were by the tone in his voice  
"You're alive," whispered Luther in disbelief.  
"Why shouldn't I be?"  
"Y-Yeah, you're right. I'm... I'm just happy that we're home and together again." Luther continued to stammer as he let out a shaky breath. You could see how he started to relax as Five had done before, but you couldn't.  
Something was off; you could feel it.  
Something or someone was lurking in the shadows, watching your every move. You looked up at the balcony, expecting to see Pogo or mom but you didn't see anything. Still, you shifted your foot back a few centimetres, widening your stand. If something were going to happen, you would at least be prepared to protect your siblings.  
You were so caught up with your observing that you nearly missed when your father revealed that this wasn't your home anymore. A statement that made you lose all interest in the balcony.  
"Wrong again," he said and locked up behind you, "this is the Sparrow Academy."  
You heard heavy footsteps behind you as a group of people stepped out of the shadows. You still couldn't see their faces. However, you could make out their school uniforms and the glowing green cube that was floating. What the fuck?  
"Dad, who the hell are these assholes?"  
Your blood felt like it froze at the same time as it burned hot under your skin. You felt so confused as you stared at your dead brother who was very much alive and looked as if he had forgotten that is was 2019, not early 2000.  
"Shit." If the situation weren't so dire, you would have laughed over the fact that you all said the exact thing at the same time.  
"Ben?" Klaus's voice was shaking as you took a careful step forward like you were approaching a wounded animal. Ben looked at Klaus and you, but it wasn't with a look of recognition. He scrutinised everyone and wrinkled his nose at the state of you all with your burnt and bloodstained clothes.  
"Who are you?" Those were word you never wished had left his mouth for they were like a dagger to the heart.  
"Don't you know us? We're your siblings!" said Diego, who never took his eyes off Ben.  
Ben looked briefly at your brother before turning his eyes at Reginald, waiting for something.  
"What's the order?" said one of the girls on the balcony.  
"Well, that's simple." A chill went down your spine at your father's cold voice. "Kill them."


End file.
